Tucking assembly for sewing machines



Feb. 18, 1958 L. c'omER 2,823,631-

TUCKING ASSEMBLY FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed March 8, 1956 2 Sheet s-Sheet l INVENTZDR LEONARD com ER United States Paterie My,. injvention relates,,to;;new and usefuljiniprovements in; tucking assemblisrfon sewing machines, lth Principal Y object and essencepf mylinvention is 110 providea device, of,. the characters herewithirnt described which 1 includes a pair; of tucking ,feeteforwardly, of the conventional jfdQt assembly, ,saidvfeet, adapted. to \havea substantially rotary r motion and to operate: alternatively so thatithey contact the -surface of the material thereby a gathering same pre-j paratoryr torpassing sameunderthe conventional foot for? sewing Anothernobject, of my'invention is'to provide a device; of-thecharacterherewithin described whichjjis particularlv. suitable for use-with leatherand the likenthereby, facilitating the sewing of:the,yamp ofiashoeor slipper. tosthe remaining portion ,of the shoe. v

Another object 7 of .my. invention is? to. provide! a device of, the; character ,h'erewithin described which facilitates the making of slippers or moccasinswbypermitting ther entire. sewing operation, tobe donebymachine instead oipartly byhand Another object. of my invention is ,to: provide a device .v of the character herewithinedescribed which, permits the degree of gathering or tucking to be ,controlledaand; adiusted readily,

Another. object of the invention is to providea device o ofathe .character herewithin described 'whichiseasily attachedlto conventional sewingmachinestt Anotherjobjectoftheinvention is to .provide a deviceof..the character herewithin described ,which, ,due "to its. construction, permits the machinento be,.run;at normal; spee.d.i.

Another-Objectof theinvention is to provide .a device ofrthe character herewithin described whichiis also simple. in constructiom economical in,v manufacture, and .otherwise.;-we'll,1suited to the purposefor whichit is rdesignedhl With the foregoingobjects in view, and such othert. objects. and, advantages as will; become apparent. totthoset; skilled in the art to which ,this invention relatesasthis;v specification, proceeds, my inventionaconsists.essentially inl-theairangement and construction of parts all as. here-: inafte'rr morenparticularlydescribed, reference being hadw touthe accompanying drawings in which:

Figure-1 is a side elevation of my device.

Figure :2 is atop plan-view of my device.

Figure-,3 is a view showingthe'vamp 'anda portion of the remainder of the shoe to illustrate the amountof gathering-required inrorder-to sewone-to the other.:

Ina-the drawings; like: characters of; referenceindicate: corresponding parts: in: the different. figures.

lathe-manufacture of leather slippersor moccasins; it is zusual to formithe sole'and main bodyof the shoe or v slipper from onepiece:of;leatherwhich necessitates a vamp.portiomtohcoven the -toes and instep; Inorder to: forrm the main portion inhorderto-:give= substantially"= vertica11:wall; around the" frontoht-he-foot; it is 'necessary' tozigatheraconsiderable i amount-cf the material *--Whnf inserting:thewamp thereinw 2,823,631 Patented Feb. 18, 1958 While itnis avell known:thatnucking-gattachmentstarer available: fol U58- with :sewing machines; neverthelessZthese: are: only usable-with:fabrics havingqa relatively small inherent-i resistance toe-gathering. -v However, ;when: a relafi tiivelyqstifieleathers-is: used;- this; gathering or tucking is; normallykdone atby handwand the stitching: of th'e-vamp to rthe-main-nportioni Of:'-ll'l shoe.--is-. alsoof course done; byhandts This :is! extremely time i-consumi-ngt-and; un-lesseparticulartcareeand ski-llisrtakem -mhe rresults are unsightly duez toathe di tficulty -ofi-working a relatively thickmateriah suchi -as=leathert- The. present {device overcomesthese disadvantages and: gathers, the i-materialwof the main portiomof theashoe justv prior :to itsbeing sewn to. the wamp in such a fashion? that the amount to ber-losthor -igathered--is-.distributed evenlyacompletelyaround therstitch line: As an example of.-theaamount-ofsmaterial to be-gathered, in a conven-s tional:slipper;atherrperimetrical length of: thestitch: line: which,--is=equivalentstothe: perimetrical length ofwthe vamp is approximately: eighttinches whereas the perimet== rical-rlengt-htof :theportion of. the shoe tosbe sewn to the vamp: 1.15," prior to sewing; approximately 13 iIIChGSrSO': thatesomei 5 inches of -materialhas to be gath'eredwandv absorbed during the stitching-of the 8-inch stitch":line..-

Proceeding, therefore 7 to describe? my invention in detail -I have 'shownin Figure; 1 one end 10 ofthe head.- of-aeconventional-sewing machine having an arm -asseml-- bly; 1L therebelow-and a conventional ffoot. assembly "12. extending: from the headand adapted'to operate :upon: the arm 11 in the conventional mannerr:

Myr devicev-eollectively designated .13 is situated behind the, ,head-andfoot of the-machine supported uponaa surface --14-which maybe "a part-of the: tableof-the: conventional rsewing machine;

Upon-this; supporting.surface+14 -is .a drive shaft-r14 journalled i for rotation within. -bearings; secured Z-to". theli sunface 14: and-shavinga :pulley 16 -securedpto=thei shaft -,whereby the shaft may :be=rotatedfromthe source: ofpower-adapted to operate thesewingmachine 10.: A: pair: of off-set crank epin bearings 17 and' 18:are; securedi to ,-shaft--:14-' the throws of these:crank-pinrbearingss'beingis diametrically opposite and a crankishaftxend:l9-surroundse each of; these crankpin bearings; Crank shaftszlos-and 21-'are :securedto the perimeters ;'22iof:'=the':-ends- :19-' by-: means1of'sleeves-23 within .whichzthe' crank shaftsrare: screwrthreadably' received;

From the:foregoingwit will'be :appreciatedrthat rota- 1 tionrof: the shaft 14f1will causeith'ezcrank ishaftskltliand 21: :to reciprocate i in the direction of t the: double-headed arrow 24 and with oppositeathrowsa-z. The forward ends;- 25 of the crank shaft are provided with fork ends 26?: which areradapted; toengage'raround; a-pair1of rocking bars -27.and:28'. Each :of 'these :rocking 'barsasconsists' of asubstantially' vertical strip;,open-xcentredz s' .at'..29;'%an;1 thumb screws- 30'pass the .fork ends :so;that:th'e :forks'en'ds': canbe'y-clarnped to'the rockingbars'along:the:length;thereers -of.depending upon the throw required:

Abearing block collectively designated '31 iszprovided for each of said rocking bars, reachrbearing block includv-ii ingranuppersurfacetportion 32. and-1a :do'wnwardlyfiexsrs tending.- portion 33. Each bearing blocks-is,apivotally; mounted by pin 34 upon asbracket35 securedto theiarmir 11 of -:the sewing machine immediately behind the foot: assembly 12. Eachrocking vbarrincludes-ia .forwardlygex-i tending lug 36 formed intermediate-the ends thereof, but; slightlyttowardsthe lower end..37 ofthetbar. and a bolt 38 secures the rocking-bars .viatheilugs;36..-to theiafore-m mentioned bearing blocks 31 uponvrtheedownwardlysdee, pending portion 33. thereof. v

From the foregoing it willtbe appreciated that the.p,o,-.. siti'oning of the fork ends 26 "of*the crank' 'shaftfupon the rocker arms will vary the throw-ofthe'rocker arms inas much as the higher up the rocker arm the fork ends are secured, the smaller the throw and the closer towards the lugs 26, the greater the throw. It will also be ap reciated that rotation of shaft 14' will cause the bearing blocks 31 to rock to and fro upon their pivot 34.

A pair of tucking foot assemblies collectively designated 39 are secured to the upper surfaces 32 of the bearing blocks 31. each tucking foot assembly including a substantially horizontal main portion 40 consisting of a bar held within upstanding guides 41 formed upon the aforesaid upper surface 32 of the bearing blocks, pivot pins 42 permitting pivotal connection of the main portions 40 within the guides 41. Secured to and extending forwardly from the forward ends 43 of each of the main' porti ns by means of bolt 44. is a material tucking end 45 which consists of a bar 46 angulated as at 47 and having a downwardly inclined end portion 48 secured thereto by means of set screws 49.

Reference to Figure 2 will show that the material tucking ends vary in length so that one can pass behind the other and at the same time the actual engaging dogs 50 can operate side by side and adjacent the surface of the arm 11 as clearly shown in Figure 2.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that rotation of the shaft 14' will cause a substantially horizontal reciprocation of the engaging dog 50 substantially parallel with the surface of the arm 11. However, it is also desirable that vertical reciprocation of the dogs be provided so that the resultant motion thereof is substantially circular and alternative and in this connection I have provided an angulated rear end 51 to each of the main portions 40 of the tucking feet, said end angulating upwardly as clearly shown in Figure 1.

An actuating strip 52 is provided for each of said angulated portions 51, said actuating strip including a substantially vertical portion 53 secured to the upwardly angulated ends 51 in the main portions by means of bolt assemblies 54. These actuating strips extend downwardly and then rearwardly to form the substantially horizontal portions 55, the rear ends 56 of which are engageable by a tension spring 57 extending upwardly and which in turn is anchored by adjustable bolt 58 to supporting bracket 59 secured to the main supporting table 14, it being understood that springs 57 normally maintain the ends 56 biased upwardly.

Also secured to shaft 14' is a sprocket 60 engageable by sprocket chain 61 which also extends over a sprocket 62 carried upon a stub shaft 63 supported for rotation between bearings 64 also secured to main table 14 between the shaft 14' and the rocking bars 28 and 29.

This shaft 63 is provided with cams 65 having throws 66 oppositely formed as clearly shown in Figure 2, these cams being engageable at all times with actuating strips It will therefore be appreciated that rotationof shaft 63 will cause earns 65 to rock the actuating strips 52 substantially in the direction of double-headed arrow 66 and hence will cause the dogs 50 to reciprocate alternatively substantially in a vertical manner. By timing the actuation of thecarns 65 and the crank shafts 20 and 21, it will be apparent that the dogs 50 can be made to trace a substantially circular path in the direction of arrow 67 and due to the fact that the crank shafts and the cams are situated oppositely, the dogs 50 will have an alternative action. In other words, when one dog 50 is engaging the material and drawing it rearwardly, against the foot 12, the other dog is moving forwardly to engage material behind the first dog. It is this alternative engaging action of the dogs 50, which are slightly edge-sharpened for traction, which gathers the material prior to its being passed under the foot 12 and it will be appreciated that the amount gathered by each motion of the dogs 50 is controlledby the throw of the. rocking arms. 7

It is also necessary to provide feed dogs 67 underneath the material passing below the foot 12 and I have provided a feed dog for each-material engaging foot.

Each of these feed dogs consists of an elongated strip situated within guides 68 formed in the surface of the arm 11. These strips extend forwardly and are pivotally secured to the upper ends of a pair of actuating levers 69 pivoted intermediate the ends upon lugs 70 extending downwardly from the arm 11.

The lower ends 71 of the actuating levers are in turn pivotally connected to'the forward ends 72 of a pair of links 73 reciprocating below the arm 11.

The rear ends 74 of the length 73 are secured to the lower ends 37 of the aforementioned rocking arms 27 and 28 as clearly illustrated in the drawings so that reciprocation of the feed dogs 67' is also alternative and timed with the gathering action of the tucking feet.

Figure 3 shows a front top plan view ofa slipper or moccasin partly formed and includes the relatively flat vamp 75 and the main portion 76 which normally is manufactured in one piece with the sole 77. A stitch line 78 secures the two portions together but in order to shape the forward perimeter 79 of the main portion around the toes of the foot, it is necessary to gather or tuck the perimetrical edge 80 of this portion as it is secured to the perimetrical edge 81 of the vamp 75. The hatching 82 indicates the gathering that has been made in sewing from the point 83 to the point 84. The distance between the point 84 and the point 85 on the vamp indicates the further stitching to be undertaken and the distance between 84 and 86 on the perimeter 80 of the main portion indicates the amount of material that has to be lost or gathered during this operation as, when the sewing is finished, point 86 is secured to point 85 and the remaining material is gathered evenly around this distance between points 84 and 85.

With this machine it is possible to undertake this operation evenly and neatly and without loss of time as contrasted to conventional methods of leatherworking which requires the'tucking or gathering to be done by hand and the stitching also.

Finally, I have provided means to stop the tucking action temporarily without stopping the sewing machine comprising a chain or cable 87 secured to adjacent the rear ends of actuating strips 52 and extendfng to adjacent the operator. These cables are connected to conventional foot pedal or knee pedal linkage (not illustrated) and when actuated, draw down the strips 52 against pressure of springs 57 thus disengaging the strips from earns 65 and at the same time raising the tucking dogs 50 clear of the surface of the material. Being clear of the earns, the strips are not actuated thereby and hence no vertical reciprocal motion is imparted to the tucking dogs. This is useful if the material tends to bunch up in advance of the foot 12 as sometimes happens particularly when sewing around a curve.

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as hereinabove described, and many apparently widely difierent embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without departing from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a machine including a head, an arm below said head, and a foot assembly extending between said head and towards said arm, a tucking assembly co-operating with said foot assembly adapted to gather material preparatory to passing same under said foot for securing; said tucking assembly including drive means therefore, a pair of substantially side by side rocking bars mounted intermediate the-ends thereof, a bearing block for each bar pivotally mounted upon said arm, each of said bars being mounted upon one of said bearing blocks, crank shafts extending between each ofsaidbars and said drive.

5 means, each of said crank shafts having diametrically opposite throws, a tucking foot secured to each of said bearing blocks above said pivotal mounting thereof, each of said tucking feet including a downwardly curved material tucking end situated adjacent the surface of said arm, the rocking of said bars adapted to transmit substantially horizontal reciprocal motion to said material tucking ends, and means operatively connected with said tucking feet adapted to impart substantially vertical reciprocal motion to said material tucking ends, said last mentioned means being operatively connected to said drive means, the timing of said horizontal and vertical reciprocation adapted to resolve said horizontal and vertical reciprocation into a substantially circular motion.

2. The device according to claim 1 which includes a feed dog situated in said arm adjacent each of said material tucking ends adapted to reciprocate horizontally, and means extending between the lower ends of said bars and said feed dogs adapted to reciprocate said feed dogs.

3. The device according to claim 1 in which each of said bars is open centred, said crank shaft being secured by one end thereof to said bars, said securement being adjustable vertically upon said bars thereby varying the stroke of the rocking action thereof.

4. The device according to claim 1 in which each of said tucking feet includes a main portion, said material tucking ends being adjustably secured by one end thereof to one end of said main portion, the other end of said main portion being angulated upwardly, said means to impart substantially vertical reciprocal motion to said material tucking ends including an actuating strip secured by one end thereof to said angulated end, said actuating strip extending downwardly and then rearwardly from said angulated end, spring means secured to the rear ends of each of said actuating strips normally biasing said rear end upwardly and hence said material actuating ends downwardly, and cam means actuated by said drive means contacting said actuating strips, adapted to depress said actuating strips, against said spring means hence raising said material contacting end.

5. The device according to claim 2 in which said means extending between the lower ends of said bars and said feed dogs includes a substantially horizontal link secured by one thereof to the lower end of each of said bars, said link passing below said feed dogs, guides within said arms, actuating levers pivoted intermediate the ends thereof to said arms, one end of said actuating lever being pivota'lly secured to one end of said link, the other end of said actuating lever being secured to said feed dogs.

6. The device according to claim 2 in which each of said bars is open centred, said crank shaft being secured by one end thereof to said bars, said securement being adjustable vertically upon said bars thereby varying the stroke of the rocking action thereof.

7. The device according to claim 2 in which each of said tucking feet includes a main portion, said material tucking ends being adjustably secured by one end thereof to one end of said main portion, the other end of said main portion being angulated upwardly, said means to impart substantially vertical reciprocal motion to said material tucking ends including an actuating strip secured by one end thereof to said angulated end, said actuating strip extending downwardly and then rearwardly from said angulated end, spring means secured to the rear ends of each of said actuating strips normally biasing said rear end upwardly and hence said material actuating ends downwardly, and cam means actuated by said drive means contacting said actuating strips, adapted to depress said actuating strips against said spring means hence raising said material contacting end.

8. The device according to claim 3 in which each of said tucking feet includes a main portion, said material tucking ends being adjustably secured by one end thereof to one end of said main portion, the other end of said main portion being angulated upwardly, said means to impart substantially vertical reciprocal motion to said material tucking ends including an actuating strip secured by one end thereof to said angulated end, said actuating strip extending downwardly and then rearwardly from said angulated end, spring means secured to the rear ends of each of said actuating strips normally biasing said rear end upwardly and hence said material actuating ends downwardly, and cam means actuated by said drive means contacting said actuating strips, adapted to depress said actuating strips against said spring means hence raising said material contacting end.

9. The device according to claim 5 in which each of said bars is open centred, said crank shaft being secured by one end thereof to said bars, said securement being adjustable vertically upon said bars thereby varying the stroke of the rocking action thereof.

10. The device according to claim 5 in which each of said tucking feet includes a main portion, said material tucking ends being adjustably secured by one end thereof to one end of said main portion, the other end of said main portion being angulated upwardly, said means to impart substantially vertical reciprocal motion to said material tucking ends including an actuating strip secured by one end thereof to said angulated end, said actuating strip extending downwardly and then rearwardly from said angulated end, spring means secured to the rear ends of each of said actuating strips normally biasing said rear end upwardly and hence said material actuating ends downwardly, and cam means actuated by said drive means contacting said actuating strips, adapted to depress said actuating strips against said spring means hence raising said material contacting end.

11. The device according to claim 5 in which each of said tucking feet includes a main portion, said material tucking ends being adjustably secured by one end thereof to one end of said main portion, the other end of said main portion being angulated upwardly, said means to impart substantially vertical reciprocal motion to said material tucking ends including an actuating strip secured by one end thereof to said angulated end, said actuating strip extending downwardly and then rearwardly from said angulated end, spring means secured to the rear ends of each of said actuating strips normally biasing said rear end upwardly and hence said material actuating ends downwardly, and cam means actuated by said drive means contacting said actuating strips, adapted to depress said actuating strips against said spring means hence raising said material contacting end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 737,077 Chandler Aug. 25, 1903 949,725 'De Voe Feb. 15, 1910 1,320,185 Thomas et al. Oct. 28, 1919 1,320,248 Le Fevre Oct. 28, 1919 

